Fire-extinguisher.



e. T. P EARSONS. FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLIIIATION FILED MAR. 10, 1916- v Patented Apr. 24, 1917.;

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FIRE EXTINGUISH ER. APPLICATION llLED MAR. 10, 1916- Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

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- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. PEARsoNs, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, .in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Extinguishers, of which the following is a spi'acification.v i

ThlS invention relates to fire extinguishers of the type in which a fire extinguishing liquidcontained in a tank or reservoir is discharged through an outlet by gas pressure generated in the tank by the reaction of the admixing of gas generating materials. normally maintained in a separated condition in the tank, and it is the primary object of the invention to improve the general construction of fire extinguishers of this character to cheapenthe cost of construction and increase the efliciency thereof.'

In extinguishers of this type the fire extinguishing liquid is of a nature that it will not afiect, that is it will not ruin or destroy, articles with which it comes in contact,such as wearin apparel, furniture, carpets and the like. owever', the gas generating materials are of such a nature as-to destroy articles with which they come in contact, and it very often happens that "a part of said materials are carried ofl' with the generated gas and expelled with the fire extinguishing liquid with the above deleterious results, and it is a further object of the invention to provide improved means to render the expelling agent or gas anhydrous or dry and non-acid before it is utilized to expel the fire extinguishing liquid.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means to at all times connect the outlet of the reservoir with the liquid in the lowermost part of the reservoir no matter in what position the outlet of the reservoir may be.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification Figure '1 is a sectional side elevation of a fireextinguisher showing an embodiment of my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating a modification. a-

Similar characters of reference designate like parts throughout the difl'erentviews of the drawings.

In the embodiment of my invention illus-\ trated in the drawings there'is provided a Specification of Letters Patent.

or NEW YORK, N. Y.

' Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

Application filed March 10, 1916. Serial No. 83,237.

reservoirfor a fire extinguishing liquid, such as carbon tetrachlorid, preferably consisting of a cylindrical body portion 3 closed at one end to constitute the top by a head 4 fixed to the body portion and. having an opening closed by a removable cover 5, and a bottom 6 fixed to the body 3 to close said end and.

preferably constructed in the form of a standard upon which to support the extinguisher.

The fire extinguishing liquid is expelled from the reservoir by a suitable agent, such as asuitable gas, as carbonic acid gas, generated by meanswithin the reservoir. For this purpose I provide a receptacle 7, which is-in the nature of a gas generating chamber, havin an interna ly threaded flange on the reservoir cover, as at 8, whereby said cover not only serves as a closure-for said receptacle but also to support and suspend the recep tacle in the "reservoir. Thereceptacle has an outlet leading into the reservoir to which is connected a tube 9 to extend into the receptacle, for a purpose to be hereinafter described,,and communication between the receptacle and reservoir lsnormally shut off through said tube by a spring check valve screw threaded connection with 10 closing into and opening outward from the receptacle.

A receptacle 11 having an open upper end is supported in the receptacle 7 at a point above the tube 9.to provide a space 12 between the bottoms of the two receptacles, the receptacle 11 being shown as supported upon an annular flange or ring 13, the engagement of said rece tacle with said flange serving to separate t e part ofthe'receptacle 7 below the receptacle 11 from the remaining portion of the receptacle 7 in the normal po-- sition of the extinguisher. The .receptacle 11 is of' less width than the receptacle 7 to provide a space between the lateral walls of the receptacles, and the receptacle 11 is maintained centrally by laterally projecting lugs 14 abutting against one side of the receptacle 7.

A third receptacle 15 engages in the receptacle 11 and in the normal. position of the extinguisher is supported upon the bottom times in communication with the receptacle 7 by tubes 16 extending to the top or beyond the top of the receptacle 11. By this construction the receptacles 11 and 15 are adapted to contain'gas generating materials nor mally held in a separated condition, and which materials when they came in contact will react and generate a gas,'such as a carthe extinguisher, and the acid in the reservoir 15 will drip through the tubes 16 into the soda and-admix therewith and generate gas. To prevent the receptacles from dropping against the cover a rod 17 is fixed in the cover to extend to a point adjacent the top of the receptacle 15, and when the extinguisher is inverted the receptacles 11 and 15 will be supported by said rod, but the length of the rod will be such as to permit the receptacle 11 to drop away from the annular seat 13 and thereby connect the upper portion of the receptacle 7 with the space 12. The generated gas will pass between the sides of the receptacles 11 and 7 into the space 12 and through the outlet tube 9 into the reservoir. The rod 17 may be of such length thatthe end will abut at all times against the receptacle 15, in which case the annular flange 1.3, as shown in Fig. 2, has perforations through which the generated gas may pass into the space 12.

The fire extinguishing liquid is of such a 1 nature that it will not injure articles, such as wearing apparel, furniture, carpets and the like, with which it comes in contact. However, the nature of the gas generating materials is such as to destroy and ruin any such articles that it may come in contact with, and it very often happens that parts of said materials are carried off with the generated gas into the reservoir and expelled with the fire'extinguishing liquid with the above deleterious results. To prevent this contingency,means are provided to render the generated gas anhydrous or dry and non-acid by filtering the generated gas. For this purpose I provide a material through which the generated gas passes to'absorb any moisture in such gas, sodium carbonate having been found to answer the purpose. This absorbing material is located in the space 12 of the receptacle 7 below the receptacle 11 and normally separated from the upper part of the receptacle by the engagement of the recepby a spring 2 tacle 11 with its supporting flange 13. To

prevent this material from dropping into the reacting materials in the upper portion of the receptacle or generator when the reservolr is inverted there is provided a screen 18 removably secured to the flange 13, this screen retaining the material in the space This type of fire extinguisher is set in operation by merely inverting the extinguisher.

However, in use it invariably happens that the extinguisher is held with the discharge outlet in difierent positions, and to permit of this universal use of the extinguisher means are provided to at all times connect the discharge outlet of the reservoir with the liquid in the lowermost part of the reservoir.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1 the discharge outlet is located in a tubular portion 21' centrally of the bottom 6, said tubular portion extending into the reservoir and having an exteriorly extending portion to which a. nozzle 22 is connected to extend laterally of and'through the bottom or base 6. This outlet is normally closed by a spring influenced valve 23 opening outward from the reservoir and closing into the same. To connect said outlet tube at all times with the liquid in the lowermost part of the reservoir I provide an intake thereto consisting of a tube 24' rotatably supported in the tubular outlet 21 by engaging in a collar 25 screw threaded into the end of the tube and having a cone-shaped portion 26 at the end to cooperate with a correspondingly shaped cone seat in the tube 21, the cone portion of the tube being maintained against this seat coiled about the tube 24 and tensioned between the collar 25 and the shoulder formed by the cone-shaped portion 26. The collar 25 and cone seat provide a long bearing for the tube 24 and permit of the ready rotation of the tube without any binding action being set up due to any canting movement of the tube, and while the spring 27 will maintain the tube seated in the cone seat it will not interfere with the rotative movement of the tube. The tube 24 has intakes to lie adjacent the side and opposite ends of the reservoir consisting of a tubular member having inlets, as at 28 and 29, formed with seats for valves 30 and 31 carried by cages or caps 32 and 33 secured to the respective inlets, and said tubular member is connected to the tube 24 by a laterally extending portion 34. It will be obvious that the intakes will swing in the tube 21 as i0 maintain the other 5 generator 7 to the cover 0 reservoirfor the 5 gravity, while the valve 31 will drop away rom its seat and be supported by its carrier 33, the said carriers 32 and 33 having lateral ports which will be at center of the balls when they are unseated and preventing the valves from being drawn to their seats by the incoming liquid.

To prevent any possibility of the liquid leaking out of the reservoir outlet when the extinguisher is in an upright osition and when in use the intake 28 is coated in a tube35 connected with tube 34 and closed at its lower end, and the intake 29 is located in a tube 36 extending up through the closed end of tube 35 to a po1nt adjacent the valve 30. By this construction the liquid entering the intake 28 will pass through the branch tube 35, extension 34 and tube 24, and liquid entering the intake 29 will pass up through the branch tube 36, into tube 35, and through the latter through the extension 34 and tube 24. For the purpose of carrying and manipulating the extinguisher, it may have a hand grip 37.

In Fig. 2 the construction of the generator is substantially similar to that shown in Fi 1 with the exception that the end of therod 17 at all times abuts against the acid receptacle and thereby maintains the receptacle 11 in engagement with the flange 13, the flange" 13 having perforations for the passage of the generated gas into the space 12. The discharge outlet for the extinguisher is in the form of a tube 38 connected to the tube 21 within the reservoir to extend adjacent the side and then up and out through the top with a nozzle 39 fixed to the projecting end. The dischargeoutlet is connected with the liquid in the lowermost part of the reservoir in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 1 through the branch tubes 35 and 36 with the exception that the inlets to said tubes are closed by valves 40 and 41 connected by a rod or wire 42 extending through the tubes, whereby when one valve is seated it will valve unseated, as for instance, when the extinguisher is in an u right position as shown, the valve 40 will be seated and the valve 41 unseated.

It will be obvious that by connecting the it may be removed with the latter. By this construction the generator may be easily and quickly cleaned as well as replenished. Furthermore, ready access may be had to the interior of the purpose of cleaning and the removal or repair of parts or otherwise.

Having thus described my invention I .claim:

1. In a fire extinguisher, the combination 5 with a reservoir for a fire extinguishing a point above the utilized to expel liquid having an outlet, of means with- -1n the reservoir connected thereto to normally hold gas generating materials in a separated condition and free from the liquid in the reservoir and render the gas generated by said materials anhydrous, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a fire extinguisher, the combination with a reservoir for a fire extinguishing liquid having an outlet, of means within the reservoir and connected thereto to normally hold gas generating materials in a separated condition and adapted to be mixedv to generate gas to expel the liquid from the reservoir, and means to render the gas gen- 'erated by said materials anhydrous before it is utilized to expel the fire extinguishing liquid, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In a fire extinguisher, the combination with a reservoir for a fire extinguishing liquid having an outlet, of a gas generator in said reservoir connected to the reservoir in which to generate gas to expel the liquid from the reservoir, and means through which the gas generated-in the generator is passed to render it anhydrous before it is the liquid from the reservoir, substantially as and for the purpose specified. I

' 4. In a fire extinguisher, the combination for a fire extinguishing liqwith a reservoir u1d having an outlet, of means within the reservoir and connected thereto to normally hold gas generating materials in a separated condition and adapted to be mixed to generate gas to expel the liquid from the reservoir, and a material through which the gas generated by the gas generating materials is passed to render it anhydrous before it is utilized to expel the liquid from the reser- V011, substantially as and for the purpose. specified.

5. In a fire extinguisher, the combination with a reservoir for a fire extinguishing liquid having an outlet, of a receptacle in said reservoir having an outlet leading into the reservoir; agas generating material in said receptacle; means in said receptacle to hold another gas generating material free from the first gas generating material, and said materials when admixed adapted to generate gas to expel the liquid from the reservoir; and a third material in the receptacle to render the gas generated by the gas gencrating materials anhydrous before the gas is expelled into the reservoir, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

extinguisher, the combination with a reservoirjor a fire extinguishingliquid having an outlet, of a receptacle in said reservoir having an outlet reservoir; a gas generating material in said receptacle; a second receptacle in the first receptacle to hold a gas generating mate:

leading into the into the rial in said receptacle;

ing material in said receptacle; a second receptacle in the firstreceptacle to hold a gas generating material free from the gas generating material in the first receptacle When the reservoir is held ,in an upright position,,and said material adapted to pass out froinsaid second receptacle and admix with the material in the first receptacle and generate gas when the reservoir is held in an inverted position; and a third material in the first receptacle through which the generated gas is passed to render it anhydrous before it is expelled into the reservoir, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. In a fire extinguisher, the combination with a reservoir for a fire extinguishing liquid having an outlet, of a receptacle suspended in the reservoir; a tube extending into the receptacle to connect the receptacle with the reservoir; a gas generating matea second receptacle in the first receptacle to hold a gas material free from the other gas generating material in the first receptacle when the reservoir is in an upright position, and said material adapted to pass out from said second' receptacle and admix with the material in the first receptacle and generate gas when the reservoir is held in an inverted position; and a third material in the first receptacle through which the generated gas is passed to render it anhydrous before it is expelled into the reservoir, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

9. In a fire extinguisher, the combination with a reservoir for a fire extinguishing liquid having an outlet, of a receptacle suspended in said reservoir; a tube extending receptacle to connect the receptacle with the reservoir; an inwardly opening and outwardly closing check valve in said tube to normally shut ofi' communication between the receptacle and the reservoir through said tube; a gas generating material in the said receptacle; a second receptacle in the first receptacle to hold a gas generating material free from the gas generating material in the first receptacle when the reservoir is held in an upright position, and said material adaptgenerat-.

the reservoir n which to generate pel the liquid from the reservoir, and a filterto filter the ed to pass out from the second receptacleand admixwith the material in the first receptacle and generate gas when the reservoir is held in an inverted position; a third material in the firstreceptacle through which the generated gas is passed. to render it anhydrous before it is expelled into the reservoir; and a screen to prevent said latter material from mixing with the gas generating materials, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

10. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a reservoir fora fire extinguishing liquid having'an outlet; means to carry an agent in the reservoir to expel the liquid therefrom; and means to render the expelling agent non-acid and dry, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

11. Ina fire extinguisher, of a reservoir fora fire extinguishing liquid the combination having an outlet; means to generate a gas within the reservoir to expel the liquid therefrom; and means within the reservoir to render the expelling gas dry, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

12. In a fire extinguisher, the combination with a 'reservoirfor a 'fire extinguishing liquid having an outlet, of a generator in said reservoir having an outlet leading into the reservoir in which to generate a gas to expel the liquid from .the reservoir, and means within said generator to filter the gas before itpasses into the reservoir, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

13. In a fire extinguisher,

liquid having an outlet, of a enerator n said reservoir having an outlet eading into gas to exing rmaterialin the reservoir generated gas before it passes into the reservoir, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

1 1. In a fire extinguisher, the combination with a reservoir for a fire extinguishing liquid having an outlet, of a receptacle in said reservoir the reservoir; bicarbonate of soda in said receptacle; a second receptacle in the first receptacle to hold an acid free from the soda in the first receptacle when the reservoir is held in one position and adapted to mix with the soda when the reservoir is held in another position and adapted to generate a car-- bonic acid gas to expel the liquid from the reservoir; and sodium carbonate in the generator to filter the generated gas and render it dry before it is passed into the reservoir,

substantially as and for the purpose spec1- fied.

GEO. T. PEARSONS.

having an outlet leading into 0 the combination with a reservoir for a fire extinguishing 

